Day 8: 5:00am-6:00am
| code = 8AFF14 | story = Evan Katz| teleplay = Alex Gansa | director = Milan Cheylov}} Samir Mehran demands that the United States government hand over President Omar Hassan within one hour or face a radiological attack in the heart of Manhattan. Defiantly, President Allison Taylor instead orders Jack Bauer to escort Hassan to Fort McGuire Air Force Base, while members of her inner circle conspire to subvert her decision. Episode guide * calls the NSA and tells them that CTU New York is offline and that they must shut down bridge and tunnel traffic. * receives a phone call from Chloe O'Brian saying she can't locate Jack. * pulls a gun on Frank Haynam after he rejects her plan to restart CTU. * loads the nuclear fuel rods into a boat for transport across the East River. * strangles Bill Prady after he refuses to drop his inquiry into Kevin Wade's whereabouts. *Dana calls Samir and promises to help him escape CTU's surveillance, proving herself to be a mole. An EMT tends to Jack's injuries. He warns Jack that his ribs may be broken, risking a collapsed lung, but Jack assures him there is no need to worry. Jack falls in step with Renee, and asks what is happening with the fuel rods. The Zodiac raft was just found submerged near 11th Street, confirming that the terrorists are now in Manhattan, but no more than a few minutes ahead of the authorities. Jack says to tell Chloe to prepare satellite imagery of that area in the last few minutes, then tells the helicopter pilot to be ready to lift off once they have a destination. At the docks, Cole Ortiz tells Brian Hastings that a witness saw four men loading the fuel rods into a taxicab a few minutes ago. Chloe spots them on satellite and works on getting a real-time feed of their present location. Hastings tells Arlo Glass to contact NYPD and then tells Dana, just entering the room, to alert HAZMAT and NEST personnel. Chloe locates the taxi heading west on 14th Street, and Cole drives off in an SUV to pursue. Secretly, Dana calls Samir Mehran, warning that CTU has acquired his position and directing him to turn south on Seventh to evade incoming police units. Moments later, Dana injects machine code into the system that disables the satellite coverage for thirty seconds. While CTU scrambles to reestablish coverage, Hastings notifies Cole that the taxi's last position was Seventh and Waverly. Samir tells Dana that they are on Hudson heading uptown; she advises him to proceed to Ninth Avenue, where they can blend into cab traffic. By the time Chloe and Arlo regain the satellite feed, the cab has disappeared. Furious, Hastings orders Cole to lock the neighborhood down and search every facility where it could have pulled in. While he leaves to call President Taylor, Dana promises to send Samir police patrol patterns as soon as it is safe to do so. President Taylor, Rob Weiss, and Ethan Kanin sit in on the conference call with Director Hastings. He informs them that the terrorists have succeeded in bringing the nuclear rods into Manhattan, and that he can no longer guarantee the city's safety. Weiss rebukes Hastings for CTU's failure, while Taylor orders him to prepare local law enforcement for an imminent radiological attack. After the call ends, Kanin leaves to assemble the national security team. Weiss informs Taylor that President Hassan is soon to be evacuated from the United Nations, and the President asks to speak to Jack Bauer. On the phone with Jack, Cole says that it was unusual that CTU lost surveillance on the taxi just as they were closing in on it. Cole says that Chloe was responsible for tracking the vehicle, but Jack dismisses any possibility that she was involved, saying that he trusts her with his life. Just then, an agent comes over to Jack and hands him a phone call from the President. Taylor asks Jack to oversee the evacuation of Hassan and his family from Manhattan. Respectfully, Jack replies that he would be more useful continuing to work with CTU, but Taylor says that in light of the possible attack it is more important than ever that Hassan be safe to secure a lasting peace agreement, and that she trusts only him to keep him safe. Jack agrees to her request, and ends the call. After hearing about his new assignment, Renee insists on coming along to help him, saying that they can't separate again. Somewhere in Manhattan, the taxi pulls into an underground garage, where Ahman is waiting with the radiological bomb. Ahman asks what happened to Ali, and Samir replies that he didn't make it; Tarin will take his place as the driver. Samir takes Tarin aside and says that he needs to leave as soon as Ahman attaches the rods to the bomb, as he wants the attack to be ready as soon as he makes his call to President Taylor. Jack and Renee arrive at the United Nations, and greet Secret Service Agent Molly O'Connor, the head of President Hassan's protection detail. O'Connor briefs them on the evacuation plan: Hassan and his family will be taken by a seven-agent detail, along with two members of Hassan's security force, through a service tunnel running parallel to the PATH lines into New Jersey, as soon as the vehicles are ready. Jack asks to see the itinerary, but first agrees to speak to President Hassan, who is waiting in the council chamber. Jack enters, and greets Hassan before telling him that he and his family will be taken out via the tunnels in the next ten minutes. Hassan chuckles, saying that he had hoped to leave the UN on a procession down Fifth Avenue after the signing ceremony. Jack replies that he and the President still believes that will happen; Hassan hopes that they are right. At McGuire, in a conference with the national security team, General David Brucker informs the President that he has prepared the logistics for three retaliatory strikes against the IRK in the event of a successful terrorist attack. Kanin interjects that the IRK is an ally of the United States, but Brucker says that the alliance is worth little if their citizens are free to attack the U.S. independently. While they are arguing, Tim Woods enters and informs the President that a call has been made to the White House switchboard by a man claiming to have possession of the nuclear fuel rods. The man possesses details of recent events no civilian could know and the call is being routed through a scrambled ICC channel, suggesting that the caller is genuine. Taylor asks Woods to place the call on speakerphone. Samir Mehran bids the President good morning, then tells her that he has the fuel rods, and the capability to detonate a dispersal device that can cover forty blocks of Manhattan in a radiation cloud. However, Samir claims he has no wish to harm innocent Americans, and will call off the attack in exchange for one demand: President Hassan is to be handed over to him to stand trial for his crimes against the IRK within the next hour, or the dirty bomb will be set off immediately thereafter. Samir ends the call, signalling the start of his one-hour deadline. Woods informs the President that a forty-block radius could endanger as many as 150,000 people. Taylor tells Weiss to apprise CTU of the threat, then orders Woods to contact the New York National Guard and prepare an evacuation plan. Weiss proposes that the President consider an alternative: that she agree to turn over President Hassan to the terrorists and avoid a possible nuclear catastrophe. Kanin strongly objects, saying that such an act would destroy America's moral authority in the eyes of the world, while Woods, reluctantly, says that he agrees with Weiss' rationale. General Brucker points out that a successful attack would lead to a series of retaliatory strikes in the Middle East, ruining any chance of lasting peace in the region for many years. Eventually, President Taylor speaks up, telling the room that the country would be weakened immeasurably by caving to the threat of terrorism, and that she will not betray Hassan after what they have worked so hard to achieve together. If the terrorists cannot be caught and the bomb goes off, she says, the United States will pick up the pieces and carry on, as they have in the past. At CTU, Dana asks Chloe for an updated list of road closures and checkpoints, lying that she is coordinating with the National Guard and FBI New Jersey to locate holes in the grid. After Chloe agrees to forward the reports to her screen, Dana walks away and calls Samir, telling him she will have the information for him in five minutes. Samir updates her on the call to President Taylor, saying that regardless of what the President decides the peace initiative will be over. After the meeting adjourns, General Brucker takes Rob Weiss aside, telling him that he agrees with Secretary Kanin: turning over Hassan publicly would do great harm to the image of the United States. However, he says, there may be a third way out of the current crisis: a covert operation to turn Hassan over to the terrorists while making it look like they took him hostage, thus sparing New York while also preserving America's standing in the world. Weiss is interested, but hesitant, and says that the President would never agree to such an action. Brucker replies that he has a wet ops team standing by, waiting for orders, and he only needs Hassan's evacuation route from Secretary Kanin to set the plan into motion. Weiss says that this is sedition, but Brucker invokes the fourth Nuremburg principle: "If the orders of the president are illegal, it is our moral obligation to disobey them." In his view, the President is allowing her idealism to compromise her duty as commander-in-chief to safeguard the American people, and it is up to them to do what is necessary. At CTU, Hastings informs everyone on the main floor that the terrorists in possession of the nuclear fuel rods are planning to set off a dirty bomb in New York in the next fifty minutes. As everyone in the room has friends and family members under threat, he reminds them they are duty-bound not to warn them, but they still have the power to stop the attack before it happens. Hastings implores them to review every lead and tap every source, whatever it takes to find this bomb. As he leaves, Dana covertly transmits the roadblock manifest to Samir Mehran. Samir calls Tarin Faroush, who is en route with the radiological bomb in the back of a shipping van, and advises him to avoid Amsterdam and proceed to a viable attack site nearby. If set off there, the bomb will irradiate a large portion of the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Tarin pulls off to the side of the road to await further instructions. At Fort McGuire, Rob Weiss and General Brucker break into Secretary Kanin's office. While accessing President Hassan's itinerary, Weiss informs Brucker that Hassan has a Secret Service complement protecting him, along with former agents Jack Bauer and Renee Walker. Brucker shrugs off Weiss' warning about Bauer, saying that Hassan's detail won't stand a chance against his team, then hands Weiss a thumb drive. As Weiss copies the files, Kanin enters the office, catching them at his computer. Brucker lies that they were trying to access the White House readiness protocols, but Kanin sees the thumb drive and quickly gathers what is really going on. Casually, he tries to leave the office, but Brucker stops him, telling him that there are some things he needs to know. Kanin reaches into his pocket, dialing Jack Bauer's number, but Brucker notices and grabs the phone from him. Kanin says that what they are planning is madness, and implores Weiss not to betray the President, but Brucker replies that one day the country will probably thank them. As they are arguing, Kanin begins to suffer a heart attack, collapsing to the floor. Panicking, Weiss tries to help, giving him his medication, but Brucker refuses to call a medic. If anyone comes to Kanin's aid, the first thing he will do is try to warn the President of Brucker's plan; they need to wait until Hassan has been captured and pray that Kanin survives until then. En route to the Third Avenue service tunnel with Renee and the Hassans, Jack Bauer tries to return Kanin's phone call, but is unable to reach him. He calls CTU and asks to be put through to the Fort McGuire operator. General Brucker calls Adrion Bishop, commander of the wet ops team that will capture President Hassan. Bishop reports that they are two miles from the nearest entrance to the service tunnel network, and should make it in time to intercept Hassan's escort if they hurry. Brucker reminds him that the objective is to capture Hassan alive at all costs, and bids him good luck. Jack hangs up with the operator, still unable to get in contact with the Secretary of State. He tells Renee about the situation, warning that something isn't right and advising her to be alert. The Secret Service detail arrives at the Third Avenue tunnel and is briefed by Agent Swofford that the escort vehicles await two hundred yards away where Agent Dalton and another agent are standing by, past a section of crates and equipment. Agent Molly O'Connor and Nabeel lead the way down the tunnel, followed by Jack, Renee, and the Hassan family. Further down the tunnel, Bishop's team surveys the situation, readying their masks and preparing to launch the attack. At Fort McGuire, Rob Weiss is tending to Secretary Kanin when an aide knocks at the door, asking to speak to Kanin and saying that Jack Bauer is on the phone demanding to speak to him. Weiss takes the call instead, explaining to Jack that Kanin is currently meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Irritated, Jack tells Weiss that Kanin tried to reach him from his private cell phone number during a sensitive mission, and demands to speak to him immediately. Weiss refuses to help, eventually shouting at Jack to focus on doing his job before abruptly hanging up. Concerned, Jack signals O'Connor to stop, and orders the team to retreat to the United Nations, saying that the group is too exposed. Suddenly, Bishop and his team open fire, quickly killing the two agents waiting at the car and forcing the others to take cover. While the agents engage the wet ops team, Jack shouts at Renee to escort Hassan and his family out of the area. Jack advances forward, taking cover next to Agent O'Connor. After exchanging fire with the attackers, O'Connor says that his orders are to stay with Hassan, and says that she understands what she has to do. Jack wishes her good luck, then both open fire, allowing Jack to make his way back up the tunnel. O'Connor coordinates with Nabeel and the surviving agents to draw the wet ops team into a crossfire, but Nabeel and his companions are eventually shot. Now alone, O'Connor reloads, pauses for a moment, then steps out and advances on the team, firing several shots. Jack catches up with Renee and President Hassan, who insists that they do something to help the security team. Jack replies that they bought him time to escape, and they need to keep moving so that their sacrifice wasn't in vain. Repeatedly glancing at the unconscious Ethan Kanin on the couch, Rob Weiss checks his watch, waiting for an update on Hassan's status. Running down the tunnel, President Hassan asks Jack for a sidearm, saying that he used to be a soldier and he can help fight their attackers, but Jack tells him that they need to keep moving. Kayla twists her ankle, just before the wet ops team appears close behind, and Jack realizes they will not be able to outrun them. The group takes cover, and Jack finally gives Hassan a weapon so he can look after his family, while Jack and Renee head back to engage the enemy. Jack throws two smoke grenades to obscure them from the operatives, while Renee runs to a forward position, firing indiscriminately. While she engages them on the lower platform, Jack climbs up onto a ledge, intending to flank them while using the smoke as cover. Together, the two manage to take out most of the operatives, but Jack is unexpectedly struck from behind by one of them. Before he can finish Jack off, the man is shot from behind by President Hassan. Jack shoots the last man, Bishop, in the leg and orders him to drop his weapon, before pulling off his mask and demanding to know who he is. Bishop explains that his team answers to General Brucker, and tells him he needs to hand over President Hassan to the terrorists before they set off the dirty bomb. The deadline is 6:15, less than twenty minutes from now. Bishop implores Jack to give up Hassan, but Jack refuses, saying that he only takes orders from the President of the United States. Split screen: Jack takes Bishop hostage, and leads the group toward a street level exit. Rob Weiss tends to Secretary Kanin. Tarin Faroush waits in the van with the bomb, while police cruisers drive past, unaware. Cole Ortiz sits in a CTU car. President Taylor reviews detonation scenarios for Manhattan. Samir calls Dana, who tells him that Hassan is being transported to McGuire Air Force Base, and they lost communication with his security detail twenty minutes ago. Samir realizes that President Taylor has no intention of giving up Hassan. Dana tries to convince him not to use the bomb because he'll lose his leverage, but Samir replies that the President has left him no choice, and hangs up. He calls Tarin and orders him to start the countdown. Tarin doesn't reply, as he is surprised by what he has to do. "Your name will never be forgotten, my friend," Samir says, "Your family will be honored above all others." Tarin seems visibly distraught about Samir's decision. But to assure Samir of his dedication he says an Arabic phrase. Samir responds to Tarin with the same phrase. Tarin begins the countdown. Fifteen minutes to detonation. '' Episode credits Cast Starring * Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer * Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian * Anil Kapoor as President Omar Hassan * Annie Wersching as Renee Walker * Mykelti Williamson as Brian Hastings * Katee Sackhoff as Dana Walsh *Chris Diamantopoulos as Rob Weiss * John Boyd as Arlo Glass *with Freddie Prinze Jr. as Cole Ortiz *and Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor Guest starring * Bob Gunton as Secretary of State Ethan Kanin * Nazneen Contractor as Kayla Hassan * Michael Gaston as General David Brucker * Mido Hamada as Samir Mehran * Frank John Hughes as Tim Woods * Necar Zadegan as Dalia Hassan * T.J. Ramini as Tarin Faroush * Michael Irby as Adrion Bishop * Hrach Titizian as Nabeel * Christina Cox as Molly O'Connor * Rizwan Manji as Ahman * James Jordan as EMT Phillips Co-starring * Sarah Hollis as Susan (as "Aide") * Tripp Pickell as Agent Swofford * Sterling Sulieman as Jim (as "CTU Agent #2") Uncredited * George Colucci as Secret Service bodyguard * Tony Donno as Secret Service bodyguard * Eyad Elbitar as Hassan's IRK bodyguard * Chris Gann as Mathis * Henry M. Kingi, Jr. as Secret Service bodyguard * Christopher Leps as Jack Bauer (stunt double) * John Meier as Secret Service bodyguard * Carrick O'Quinn as Dalton * Erik Rondell as Bishop's commando * Justin Sundquist as Bishop's commando Production staff Memorable quotes * President Allison Taylor: Now we have sixty minutes to find these bastards, and I believe we will. But if we don't, and the worst happens, we will deal with it. We will pick ourselves up off the floor and deal with it. Why? Because that's what we do. Americans don't stay down. We rise up together in times of crisis. We carry on! Is that clear? * David Brucker: "The primary role of a government is to protect its citizens." Your words, Mr. Weiss. It's time to decide whether or not you meant them. * Ethan Kanin: This...This is beyond madness. * Jack Bauer: Son of a bitch just hung up on me. * Renee Walker: He's under a lot of stress, they all are. * Jack Bauer: I don't give a... * Jack Bauer: I don't take orders from anybody other than the President of the United States, now move. Background information and notes * Series regulars Cherry Jones and Chris Diamantopoulos return after a three episode absence. * This episode marks the first and only time Omar Hassan is seen killing someone. * The Arabic phrase Tarin and Samir say to each other near the end of the episode translates into, "The next world is the true life." See also *5:00am-6:00am (disambiguation) *Season 8 production staff Day 814 814